THONGS AND T-SHIRT NOT A GOOD OUTFIT FOR THE THEATRE
JUST occasionally we like to let our spleen off its tight leash and vent a bit. The topic today is dress standards and in particular that of some of our menfolk.
At QPAC on Thursday night for the premiere of ‘Mamma Mia’, we were horrified at what was considered appropriate attire for a night at the theatre. Here’s the question: since when did the wearing of unwashed baggy shorts, dirty T-shirt and Crocs or thongs on feet become accepted as normal?
Here you have a multimillion dollar building erected to present our capital city as a leading light in the arts community and some of the patrons look as though they have come straight from mowing the lawn.
We asked a few people in positions of authority why it was being allowed and they mumbled something about it being too hard to control. Is there a line that can’t be crossed?
If standards have dropped so much in the past few years will it soon be acceptable to wear a singlet, shorts and no shoes to major events?
Surely a venue as celebrated as QPAC or any major arts facility has the ability to state that a dress code is in existence and patrons may be refused entry if they don’t pass muster.
We looked up the website for The Star Hotel and Casino and their policy is very simple. “To ensure an enjoyable and comfortable experience for everyone, please follow our neat and tidy dress standard at all times at our main gaming floor. The Star reserves the right to refuse entry to any patron considered improperly dressed.”
The key phrase for us is the line – to ensure an enjoyable and comfortable experience for everyone. It is the majority who should be appeased and not the minority who either don’t care or don’t know what is acceptable. That policy is not hard to follow and any normal man who was denied entry would ensure that next time he would know that he had to lift his game to gain admission.
Nobody is insisting on a suit and tie but an adult male of above room temperature I.Q. should be able to take himself to any of the discount stores and outlay a small amount of money so that he can present himself as a grown up when he is out and about.
We may be asking a bit much but ensuring that the clothes are clean would be very helpful too. Here ends the venting.